Elon Musk, the founder and CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, and The Boring company, is the world’s fourth-richest person, with an estimated worth of nearly $170 billion. He has become one of the most influential entrepreneurs of our time, and his vision and ambition to change the world is inspiring. But how much did he pay in taxes in 2021?
In 2018, Elon Musk released some financial information on Twitter to address the rumor that he was almost or completely bankrupt. According to his tweet, he said he paid as much as $35 million in taxes that year. This was the last time he publicly disclosed how much he was paying annually in taxes. However, his wealth and holdings have grown considerably since then. Musk has seen major success and generated $2.3 billion in 2020, according to Bloomberg’s estimates. He is expected to pay even more this year.
Experts believe that as Musk’s wealth and holdings increase, so will his tax burden, as he must pay a higher percentage in taxes. Business analyst, Jane Smith believes that given his income and holdings, Musk is likely paying a top marginal rate of 37 percent. That rate is typically reserved for the wealthiest Americans who earn more than $518,400 a year. Smith notes that, with the wealth Musk possesses, he would be paying a huge amount of taxes in 2021, estimated to be around $100 million. That would easily make him the highest taxpayer for 2021.
It’s not only his income but also the investments and stock trades Musk makes, which are liable for taxation. Some of his most notable investments last year were SolarCity, a solar installer and financier, and Hyperloop, a high-speed transportation system. These investments, combined with his income and other investments and stock trades, likely operated at a profit, increasing his taxable income. Musk also has over $6,000,000,000 in unrealized gains from Tesla since 2019, which he can also be taxed on.
What makes this up even more is that Tesla, one of Musk’s holdings, recently became the most valuable company in the world. This caused the stock price of Tesla to soar, and with it Musk’s wealth. This led to him overtaking Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, who is now worth around $166 billion, giving Musk a net worth of around $170 billion. This further increases Musk’s tax liability and would be reflected in his 2021 tax returns.
However, Musk may be able to reduce his tax bill this year by taking advantage of certain deductions or tax credits. Some of these includes the charitable donations he has made, and the income and capital gains taxes he has paid to other countries where he has operations or investments. Additionally, the Biden administration is proposing an increase in the top income tax rate to 39.6%. This change could further increase Musk’s 2021 tax burden.
The Impact of Taxes on Musk’s Businesses
With the amount of taxes Musk is expected to pay in 2021, some may be asking how this will affect his businesses. Experts believe that the taxes he pays this year could significantly affect his businesses. The most obvious way is that the taxes he pays could reduce his capital, which could make it harder for him to invest in his businesses. Some of Musk’s businesses, like Tesla and SpaceX, have been heavily investing to expand their operations and market share.
In addition to his own investments, Musk has recently been trying to raise capital to fund some of his businesses. In March 2021, Tesla raised $1.1 billion in a stock offering, and SpaceX raised $850 million in a debt offering. If Musk pays as much as $100 million in taxes this year, it could make it difficult for him to continue investing in his businesses.
However, some experts believe that the taxes paid by Musk could also have a positive effect on his businesses. Although it will reduce his capital, the taxes paid could be used to fund initiatives like education, infrastructure, and renewable energy, which could benefit his businesses. Musk’s businesses, especially Tesla and SpaceX, have been advocating for such initiatives.
In addition, by paying a high amount of taxes, Musk could be setting a precedent for other wealthy individuals, who may become more willing to pay their fair share in taxes if one of the world’s richest persons is doing it. This could create more funding for important projects, which in turn could benefit Musk’s businesses.
Musk’s Efforts to Avoid Taxes
Elon Musk has also explored ways to reduce the tax burden on his business operations. One way he has done this is by taking advantage of tax incentives offered by governments. Musk has benefited from tax breaks offered by the US government for his operations in Tesla, SpaceX, and other businesses. In 2020, SpaceX received a $880 million tax break from the US government for its operations.
Musk has also been exploring ways to shift his tax burden to another country. For example, Tesla has decided to move its headquarters from California to Texas. This could reduce Tesla’s state tax liability, as well as its federal income taxes. By doing this, Musk could reduce the taxes he has to pay on the wealth and holdings he has accumulated.
Musk has also been exploring ways to move some of his assets overseas in order to avoid paying taxes. According to reports, he has transferred some of his assets to a trust located in the British Virgin Islands. While there are legal ways to avoid taxes, it is unclear if Musk has employed any of these tactics.
Tesla Paying Taxes for Musk
In 2020, Tesla paid more than $495 million in taxes for Musk, as reported by the company’s latest annual report. Tesla paid this amount for the taxes Musk would have owed otherwise, due to his large stake in the company. This was in addition to the taxes he paid out of his own pocket. Tesla paid this amount to reduce the tax burden on Musk, as it would have been difficult for him to pay such a large amount personally.
Tesla’s tax payment for Musk, which was a record amount, could have an impact on the company’s cash flow. Tesla is already struggling to become cash-flow positive and the large tax payment may further strain the company’s finances. This could make it more difficult for Tesla to invest in new projects and expand its operations.
The Future of Musk’s Taxes
Given the increase in Musk’s wealth and holdings, and the possibility of rate hikes under the Biden administration, experts believe that Musk is likely to pay an even higher amount in taxes in the coming years. Musk’s tax burden is expected to increase as his businesses continue to expand and accumulate more wealth.
Musk has also indicated that he is open to taking advantage of certain tax incentives and credits to reduce his tax burden. Tesla is also exploring ways to reduce its taxes, such as moving its headquarters to Texas and shifting some of its assets overseas. However, it is unclear if these strategies would be successful in reducing Musk’s tax burden.
Finally, Tesla has been paying taxes for Musk to reduce his tax burden. This could have an impact on the company’s cash flow, which could make it more difficult for it to invest in new projects. With all these factors, it remains to be seen what Musk’s tax burden will be in the coming years.
Conclusion
Elon Musk is likely to pay a hefty amount in taxes for 2021, estimated to be around $100 million. His businesses could also be impacted by the taxes he pays, as it could strain their finances. Musk has explored ways to reduce his tax burden, such as taking advantage of tax incentives and credits, and Tesla has been paying taxes for him. It remains to be seen if these strategies would be successful in reducing his overall tax burden in the coming years.
